


Spell For Giving Life To The Lord Of Souls

by Sashataakheru



Series: The Glitter-verse [5]
Category: Egyptian Mythology, Electric Light Orchestra, Hindu Mythology
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Alternate Universe - Mythology, Community: trope_bingo, Gen, Grief, Religious Themes, apotheosis, dead gods, divine beings, the afterlife
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-01
Updated: 2013-02-01
Packaged: 2017-11-27 18:21:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/665045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sashataakheru/pseuds/Sashataakheru
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>To be said over the body of the fallen Lord Weredjuenibwy to ensure his return to the Cosmos, so that he may return in glory after the hand of the Destroyer has killed him, and take his seat as the Lord of Souls in the paradise that he creates for himself with his hands as Ptah crafts the boats, as Khnum shapes the form of mortals on his wheel, that he may gather all the boatless souls and give to them a boat to navigate with, and provide for them an abundance of bread and beer, water and milk, ox, fowl, alabaster, linen, and clothing, so they may live forever justified in the lands of Shangri-La as the Lord of Souls watches over and protects them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Spell For Giving Life To The Lord Of Souls

**Author's Note:**

> No offence is intended to the Gods depicted here, some of whom I work with personally. (The joys of religion invading fandom. :D)
> 
> Written for the prompt 'AU: Other' for trope_bingo. My card is [here](http://3evilmuses.dreamwidth.org/55634.html).
> 
> Written (kind of) in the style of a spell from the Egyptian Book of Coming Forth By Day (Book of the Dead). Includes footnotes. Glyphs for the art composed by me and may not be entirely correct; not an expert here, only good at piecing things together not-quite-precisely. Corrections welcomed.
> 
> Egyptian names of Gods have been used instead of the Greek ones. Except for Anubis, who didn't mind me calling Him Anubis. Wesir is Osiris, Aset is Isis, Nebthet is Nepthys, Heru is Horus, and Djehuty is Thoth. The others should be straightforward.
> 
> Jeff's divine name is Weredjuenibwy (weh-reh-joo-en-ib-wii), which means 'the weary one of the two hearts'. He is mostly referred to by that name throughout the text.
> 
> See [tiemlord](http://tiemlord.dreamwidth.org/), where I RP this particular version of Jeff, for more on his apotheosis and experiences with being divine. Don't expect a lot, though. He doesn't talk much.

  


**Caption translation: Weredjuenibwy goes forth in the presence of Amun the Hidden One to find the peaceful ones (a.k.a. the blessed dead)**

* * *

The Destroyer came forth from his place in the stars to finish what he began, and sought out the good Lord Jeff Lynne, Weredjuenibwy, who comforted the hearts of his followers in the land of Shangri-La. Filled with a heart of vengeance, he subjected the good Lord to an enduring torment, ripping out his creations and destroying all he loves. What was left of the good Lord Weredjuenibwy was left chained to the star Sopdet, shining brightly in the sky, and the Destroyer retreated back to his place in darkness, unrepentant and unafraid.

Sopdet1 called to Amun the Hidden One with a very particular name, one he had not heard for many, many years. He could not help but respond to the call, and travelled to the star in the belly of Nut. It had been a long time since he'd been called to the star itself. Sopdet was waiting for him, and offered respect to the Hidden Lord as he approached. She indicated most disdainfully the body of the young god that Shiva the Destroyer had left in the middle of her star.

She kicked the still body of the young god, wishing it would move. She said: "Get rid of it, Menhuy2! I will not be a dumping ground for _his_ garbage."

Amun said: "Why did you call for me specifically? Surely others are better suited to disposal of this kind."

She glared at him and said: "Shiva said to call you. I don't know why. I didn't ask. He just left that thing with me and told me to call you. Get it out of here. You are ruining the brightness of the star."

As Amun looked at the body before them, he had a terrible feeling he knew who it was. He did not know the circumstances surrounding the young god's death, but if Shiva was responsible, it was unlikely to have been pleasant. He was sure Shiva had his reasons for disposing of the young god, though those specific reasons eluded him.

As the head of the Council of the Guardians3, it had been known that Shiva had announced his intention to return the cycle of creation and destruction to the Cosmos. Amun had yet to see any evidence of creation, though. All he had witnessed so far seemed to be wanton destruction. If there was any logic or plan behind it, Amun did not know what it was.

Amun rolled the body of the young god onto his front. His fears were confirmed as his eyes saw his face. Weredjuenibwy had been killed by Shiva the Destroyer. Amun wished he had been there to help him, but Weredjuenibwy had been painfully absent from him for some time. He had not wanted him to get involved in what he felt was an insignificant conflict with Shiva. Amun had obeyed, though he wished he had not, seeing him lying before him. He looked like he had suffered for some time before he had been killed. He whispered some _heka_ 4 to what was left of the young god, hoping to preserve what was left of him while he took him back to Earth. Releasing him from the bonds Shiva had used to anchor the god to the star, Amun picked him up and bid Sopdet goodbye.

Amun went to the only place he could think of for dead gods. The Duat5 called, and Amun boarded Ra's barque with a heavy heart, catching the sun god just before he set off on his nightly journey through the underworld. Temu-Ra6 greeted him, inviting Amun onto the barque.

As he made room for him on the barque, Ra said: "Amun, it has been a long time since you have travelled the Duat with me. Who is this you bring with you?"

Amun laid Weredjuenibwy's body on the floor. The gods gathered around him, looking upon the body of a dead god. Gods did not generally die in the Duat, or in any part of the cosmos ruled over by these gods. The only dead god was Wesir, Lord of Wennefer, King of the Duat. They knew of others, in far flung lands belonging to other peoples, but only one dead god was of importance to them. A dead god was a rare thing to witness, and it left them unsettled.

Amun said: "His name is Weredjuenibwy, and he has been killed by Shiva. He was - a friend of mine. He is a young god, a human promoted to the realm of the Guardians. Shiva meant for me to find him, because he was left with Sopdet. She did not appreciate the intrusion."

Ra said: "I can't imagine she did. Why bring him to us though? He is not one our ours."

Amun said: "Of all the gods in the cosmos, I thought that the Midnight Sun7 might be the most compassionate to such a young, dead god like him. I do not know why Shiva killed him, but I know he did not want to die. It will be part of his mythology for the rest of eternity. He will need help adjusting to that. He was a Guardian, remember. That kind of destruction leaves a mark. It will be - it has been - noticed. The cosmic song is sadder than I have ever heard it. Compassion has been killed, Ra. One small speck of _ma'at_ 8, of hope, in this world has been extinguished. He may be a very young god, but he did not deserve this."

Aset moved towards the body lying before them and cradled his head in her arms. She said: "He is barely more than a newborn. How could he have been expected to survive against Shiva? We should at least lay him to rest. Perhaps some small part of the Heavens can be set aside for him. Ra, I will command you to take him if I have to."

Ra did not need long to consider it, and said: "Very well, we will take him to Wesir's court, but you will speak for him, Amun, since you brought him here. His fate lies with you."

Amun bowed his head. He said: "So shall it be."

And so the Night Boat began its journey through the belly of Nut. The journey to Wesir's court was filled with danger. Not only did they have to protect Ra from his nightly predators, but the body of the dead god had to be guarded as well, in case a demon decided to steal it. Heru and Aset kept vigil over Weredjuenibwy's body, while Amun, Djehuty, Set, Sobek, and the Two Jackals9 watched over Ra, protecting him from the uncreated one10, who stalked them all with a dreadful intent.

The presence of a dead god who was not Wesir had a startling effect on the inhabitants of the Duat. Some creatures kept away. Some muttered curses that required great heka to guard against them. Other demons tried to attack with greater vengeance, seeking to break through the split ranks guarding the barque. Some tried to expel the foreign god from the Duat altogether. Crocodiles swam alongside the barque, keeping hidden. Sobek did his best to keep them from coming near the barque.

Amun left the barque when they arrived at Wesir's court, carrying the body in his arms. He still did not know how Wesir might react, but he had to try. Every god in the Hall of the Two Truths fell silent as Amun walked towards Wesir's throne, where Aset and her sister Nebthet stood watch. Amun lay the dead god at Wesir's feet and stood back, offering appropriate respect to the Lord of the Duat.

The Lord of Abydos11 rose from his throne and approached the body laid before him. He said: "Who is this? Why do you bring him to me? He is not human. He does not need judgement."

Amun said: "My Lord, he was a human who was promoted to the ranks of the Guardians. Shiva killed him, though I do not know why. Shiva wanted me to find his body, but I do not know the reasons for that, either. I brought him to you because I did not know who else might understand."

Wesir said: "This creature was a Guardian? This newborn god was ranked among them? Is this true, Amun?"

Amun said: "It is true, my Lord. I sat at Council with him. I watched Shiva take over the Council and I witnessed his destruction. I am still waiting for the creation he promised when the Council voted to elect him as their leader. My Lord, he may be a newborn god, but I am proud to call him a close friend. Quan Yin nurtured his soul, my Lord. He was meant to be a god of compassion and mercy, and his absence has been noticed all over the cosmos. Even a small Guardian like him leaves a significant mark if they are killed."

Wesir thought a moment before he said: "You suspect Shiva was not acting within ma'at when he decided to kill him, is that correct, Amun?"

Amun said: "I am not certain, my Lord. I do not know the reasons why Shiva pursued him, seeking to destroy him. I cannot understand why this happened. He has committed no wrongdoing that I am aware of. Shiva claimed he had broken the Guardians' rules, but one should not make such a claim when I am around to hear it, because I know it is incorrect. Shiva has abused his power, but I do not know what else to do. This young god did not need to be killed. He did not wish to die. My Lord Wesir, he may find some comfort with you that no one else can impart. Only you have died and become established in the Duat. We do not know what you know about what it is to die, and I think that is something he will need help with."

Wesir knelt down in front of Weredjuenibwy's body. He was indeed a very young god. Wesir had not been so young when he had come to know death, and perhaps he was better for it. He was unsure a newborn would be able to conceive of it, let alone a newborn who had once been human. He did notice the savage wounds all over his body, though. Even he had not suffered so badly before Set had killed him, though his death had served a much greater purpose than the needless slaughter of a newborn god.

As he looked upon the body of Weredjuenibwy, Wesir called to his sisters: "Sisters, let your breath fill his lungs that he may have life again. Give life, open his mouth, establish him in the Hall. I must speak with him."

Two kites12 came and sat one at Weredjuenibw's head and one at his feet, and their wings swept over him, filling him with divine life. The shock of life left him paralysed and afraid. He was before a god he did not know. Sitting up slowly, he wondered where he was, but all he saw around him was darkness. The god before him had lush green skin and wore a white Egyptian kilt and a large white crown on his head, edged with long lobed feathers. He had a kind face, though, and Weredjuenibwy sensed he was not in any immediate danger.

Wesir said: "What is your name, god, that I may address you properly?"

Weredjuenibwy sat up properly as he parsed the question in his mind. He said: "Erm, the name's Jeff. Least, that was me human name. Amun calls me Weredjuenibwy. Said I needed a name befitting a god. So who're you? Where am I? Last thing I remember is - Shiva."

The god before him closed his eyes a moment. He said: "Weredjuenibwy. Lord Amun has named you after me13. How fitting that you are in my domain now as a dead god. I am Wesir, a dead god like you. Lord Amun brought you to me. He said Shiva had killed you."

Weredjuenibwy shrugged, unsure, and said: "I guess so. Is that what happened to me? I never experienced death when I was human, either. What happens now that I'm dead? I thought gods just faded out of existence when they died. That's what it felt like when Shiva held me captive. I was starved of belief. I felt so weak I thought I would just fade away into nothingness."

Wesir considered him. He said: "Yes, that is what can happen. But it depends on how you die. Being killed by another god is a different kind of death than by starvation. How did you come into such conflict with Shiva anyway? It seems strange he should pursue such a young and unimportant god such as yourself."

Weredjuenibwy didn't know how to answer him. He took a moment to think before he said: "I - it's hard to think of him as Shiva. He appeared to me as an old friend from Earth. He appeared as a man I loved dearly. But he was not the one who killed me. His son killed me. Shiva as this man's son killed me. Oh, Dhani, I never wanted to bring him into this. But I just wanted to confront him one last time. I just wanted to know why. But he refused to tell me. He killed me, and that's the last thing I remember."

Wesir said: "You will remember the rest in time. I do not claim to understand Shiva's behaviour, either. Preying on you by using human relationships that are meaningful to you does not sound like the Shiva I once knew. But perhaps being with the Guardians has had a greater effect on him than I would have anticipated. Perhaps it is not Shiva at all. You are too inexperienced to tell the difference, I think, or you would have known if it was not Shiva. Amun would have known, though, and he said nothing of this sort to me, so perhaps it was Shiva after all."

Weredjuenibwy said: "So, I'm dead? But why am I alive now? Why don't I feel dead?"

Wesir said: "You will feel it soon enough. It is a black mark on your soul. This manner of death for gods is not the same as mortal death. You know the mysteries of death like I do, like anyone does when they have died. You will never be the same as you once were. This is not something that can ever be erased. It is not easy being a dead god, because there are not many of us. Amun suggested I may be of help as you get used to what you are now. You are dead, because you know those mysteries. This does not mean you cease to exist like you would if you are human. It will take time for you to really understand what has happened to you, so don't expect to know right now. You will probably find it impossible to talk about these experiences with anyone who hasn't been through them."

Weredjuenibwy said: "Oh, ay? Why's that?"

Wesir closed his eyes a moment before he said: "Mysteries are experiential. Amun will be of no help to you, because he is not a dead god. He does not know what you now know about death. But you and I share those experiences. I was killed by my brother. You, by all accounts, were killed by someone you loved, too. It is a heavy burden to bear, and I think yours will be worse than mine because of the senselessness of the killing. I died because it was necessary to allow an afterlife for the mortals under our care. But you were murdered for no reason that can be found. It will take a while to process all that, and I do not envy you the task. Perhaps Amun is right. Perhaps we should be friends. I daresay you may have no one else to talk to who can know what you are going through."

Weredjuenibwy brought his knees to his chest, not wanting the reminder of who had killed him. The memories were slowly returning, which only distressed him. "He really killed me, didn't he? He took me in, and he killed me. The one man I loved killed me."

Wesir brought him into his arms as the realisation sunk in. Weredjuenibwy had never felt quite so betrayed in his life.

Weredjuenibwy didn't know how long he stayed with Wesir. They talked about many things, and while he didn't feel like he was any closer to understanding what had happened to him, he did at least feel better knowing he had Wesir to call on if he needed to talk.

Amun took him away from the Duat and back to the stars. He felt that the young god needed some space alone to figure out what to do. He'd been through an ordeal that would probably take him a thousand years to understand. The sad song of the cosmos brought Weredjuenibwy some comfort; knowing the whole Universe had noticed his death and was grieving for him at least felt like he hadn't been completely left on his own to face Shiva. The cosmos had been watching, and it mourned for him now. Weredjuenibwy was sure he felt it reach out and touch him, like a soft wing against his cheek, as he contemplated the stars all around him.

Weredjuenibwy said: "What do I do, Amun? What do I do now? What does a dead god even do?"

Amun said: "They generally become like Wesir, responsible for either judging souls or helping the dying pass over. They usually have some function or purpose relating to the process of dying, at any rate. They can't help it. They know and understand the mysteries of death, and that's really important for mortals to have someone there when they die to show them the way. Dead gods who were once mortals have a particular gift for it, because they understand what it is like to face death as a mortal than no god can ever know. You're still experiencing the shock and confusion that comes from dying, which isn't surprising for a god as young as you. In time, you'll be more like Wesir, confident you know how to help others cross over. But you're not there yet. You need time to work out all those new mysteries that await you."

Weredjuenibwy was filled with sadness as he spoke: "I can't believe it all ended like this. I just can't believe this is how it was meant to end. I just wanted to build a sanctuary, but it cost me my life, as much as that even matters now. He killed me, and this is what I'm left with. I can't do what I used to do, can I? I can't still create worlds and travel all over the place. I'm just stuck here now, right?"

Amun tried to comfort him as he said: "I don't know. I think that might be part of the mystery. Perhaps your desire to build a sanctuary has led to this. Perhaps you were always meant to be a Lord of Death, after all, ruling over a paradise for lost souls who have passed on."

Weredjuenibwy turned to look at him. He'd never thought of it that way before. Something clicked inside his head, and suddenly, one of the mysteries came clear. He'd done it all wrong before, but he hadn't known then what he knew now. The new Shangri-La would not be like the old one. Already, he could feel the magic gathering in his fingertips, waiting to be directed towards a new creation, but he didn't release it just yet. He needed a little more time to think things through, but then, oh, then Shangri-La would live again, more magnificent than anyone could ever have imagined. This one would survive because Weredjuenibwy would rule it as the Lord of Souls, bringing the dead into his paradise to let them rest forever.

The old Shangri-La had fallen because he was too arrogant to think he had the right to bring people there without understanding the consequences. He had not been killed then, and the people were very much alive as well. But not anymore. No, he had not understood fully why he had wanted to create Shangri-La in the first place, and now that he knew the real reason, he allowed himself a little smile. Even if Shiva had not meant for this to happen, he had finally given him a purpose, and Weredjuenibwy knew Shiva would not destroy this one, not this time.

Magic crackled at his fingertips, and a universe formed deep in his mind, waiting for the time when it would be birthed into existence. Weredjuenibwy smiled as he found himself established in the Heavens as the Lord of Souls. He finally found peace in the destruction that had come before him, knowing he was the agent to bring creation back to the cosmos once more.

* * *

 **Footnotes:**  
1: Sopdet (Sirius the Dog Star) is a form of Aset in Egyptian mythology.  
2: An epithet of Amun that means 'The Slaughterer' and invokes His more protective side.  
3: Think of it as a cosmic body of Divine Beings who are meant to watch over the cosmos as a whole, but instead seem to spend most of their time in bitter power struggles. See [Glitter](https://archiveofourown.org/works/228385) for more backstory on this, and for how Jeff got into this mess in the first place.  
4: Heka is the term for ancient Egyptian magic. It basically means 'authoritative speech'; heka is a form of spoken magic, where the power comes from the words used.  
5: The Duat is the Egyptian name for the underworld/Afterlife. The Hall of Two Truths is where Wesir's court resides and where hearts of mortals are judged against the feather of Ma'at. (See footnote 9 for a (very very) brief explanation of Ma'at.)  
6: Temu-Ra is the name for Ra as the Evening Sun; Khepera/Kheper-Ra is the morning sun.  
7: Epithet referencing Wesir/Osiris expressed as in the union of Wesir and Ra in the Duat.  
8: The two jackals in question are Wepwawet and Anubis  
9: Ma'at is an Egyptian concept of universal order and balance, though this is an imperfect translation of an untranslatable word. It is a dynamic force personified in the goddess Ma'at. The counterforce is known as isfet, the force that works against the creation of the world.  
10: A reference to the most infamous agent of isfet, a serpant that Ra and Set and the gods protecting him battle every night. Every night the serpent is defeated, and the sun rises once more, but the serpent is never wiped out of existence for good. Every night it returns to try to uncreate the world and destroy Ra. Its name is usually given as ~~Apophis~~ , though in Egyptian thought, names have power, and any mention of it is usually damaged to avoid giving the serpent any power.  
11: One of Wesir's titles.  
12: Reference to Aset and Nebthet, who appeared as two kites (birds of prey) when they brought Wesir back to life, using Their wings to blow wind (and therefore life) into His dead body long enough to allow Aset to conceive Heru (Horus) with Him.  
13: Weredju, the weary one, is an epithet of Wesir's. Jeff's divine name borrows from this.


End file.
